BY : SYED WASEEM AFZAL.'Thank you very much" was probably the first word that may have been blurted out by Fly Emirates skipper when Air India surrendered so feebly to gift them an impressive 86-run win in their opening encounter of the ongoing CSS Homeward Bound Trophy for the XVI Sharjah Ramadan Floodlit cricket tournament - A Division, conducted by the Sharjah Cricket Council.

Self-belief and thorough preparation were the two key ingredients that were apparent in Fly Emirates uninterrupted take off yesterday. Every time they take the field, the weight of expectation is high and how well they fulfilled their reputation is merely suggested by the score line.

Though Air India dished out an improved display particularly after their opening match drubbing when they bowled tidily with penetration but their lackadaisical batting left a lot to be desired and more or less killed any vague, flickering hopes.

For Air India, it was again a case of self-destruction. Confronted with a stiff task of 169, they made a mockery of the chase; all the batsmen with the exception of Hyder Ali (34) and Mohd Abbas Ali Khan (18), maintained their ambivalence about the price they put on their wickets.

Most of the batsmen were all pretty ordinary efforts and the result was, Fly Emirates were all over them, crushing them to a meager 82 all out in 25.4 overs.

Aurangzeb Asghar was the leading tormentor, grabbing 3 for 27 while Peter Rodrigues (2 for 13), Javed Ismail (2 for 18) and Mohd Bilal (2 for 22) bowled sensibly and tidily to swiftly dispatch the batsmen, who looked like men having too many things running inside their heads.

Earlier, Arshad Ali (49), Khurram Khan (36) and Javed Ismail (32) had produced fighting performances to lead Fly Emirates to its respectable, ultimately adequate, scoreline of 168 all out in 32.1 overs

Well well, that's not a very good sign for other teams in the competition the coming to form of big guns Arshad Ali, Khurram Khan and Javed Ismail, who all can take the bull by the horns and turn the game on its heads solely on their own.

Such is the brilliance of these men that many have reckoned them as the major factors in Emirates' spectacular showing and as they did the other night with handy cameos, they can shatter the confidence of the finest of attacks.

Talented Piyush Maloo (4 for 27) impressed and did the most of damage while Mohd Hyder (2 for 29) and AM Adnan (2 for 46) also bowled proficiently.